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View Full Version : Water Parameters out of whack?


bigfalcon36
06/21/2009, 09:16 AM
Hi all, this is my first post in this forum in avery long time. I have been out of the hobby for about two years and decided to make a come back. At any rate, I decided to do a SPS/Clam/zoa tank.

So here is the issue, I added some frags SPS from a friends tank about 4 weeks ago...all dead with in a week. Their tissue sloughed away. two weeks went by and I bought a frag from a LFS, It's showing signs of tip burn and I have had it for about 3 weeks. I bought another 4 frags from a LFS (Idaho Grape Cap, Orange Cap, Leng Sy Cap, and a green slimer) The caps are doing ok (Idaho grape is starting to show tissue slough). The green slimer is starting to turn white at the base and start to have some of the tips turn white.

The clam looks great, but the a few of my Zoas have closed up and appeared to have died.

The local reef group I am in thinks that my Alk is the issue, but I am looking for some direction as far as where to start. Here are my tank parameters .

Tank is a bare bottom 120 gallon with 40 gallon sump.
Skimmer: Deltec AP702
CA reactor: Geo 612 (not in use)
Running Phosban and Activated carbon 24/7
Lighting: 2x250 watt DE Hamilton 14k MH with Lumen Bright reflectors and 2 54watt T5 actinic for supplementation
Circulation: 2X Tunze 6100s on a Neptune Aquasurf
Tank has been running for 3.5-4 months.


waterparameters :
Temp: 79-79.3
pH: 8.11-8.23
Spec. Grav: 1.026
dKH: 12 (4.29 meq/L)
Calcium (460-480)
Mag: 1140
PO4: 0 (Undetectable)
Nitrate: 0 (Undetectable)
Ammonia: 0 (Undetectable)
Topoff/Make up TDS: 0-1

Salt used for water changes is half Instant Ocean half Oceanic. Last water change was done yesterday at the advice of my local forum. I did 25% in hopes of getting the dKH reduced (my tank was at 12)...the dKH remained the same, 12.

I'm trying to solve the mystery that is causing things to die off.

Thanks!
Travis

Billybeau1
06/21/2009, 09:46 AM
Although your alk is a little on the high side, I doubt that is your problem.

Chemistry wise, you look pretty good. You may want to look elsewhere for the problem. Lighting, water flow etc.

Good luck :)

As far as the alk level, I wouldn't expect your 1/2 & 1/2 mixture to produce 12 dkh. Maybe 10 or so. The next time you mix up a batch, check the alkalinity of the mixture before you add it to the tank and lets see where you are.

bigfalcon36
06/21/2009, 10:22 AM
Thanks for the reply. I did test the salt water yesterday prior to adding it and it was right at 12. I also did a one gallon test of Instant Ocean and Oceanic Salt on an individual basis. The Oceanic salt gave me a dKH of about 9.8 and Instant Ocean was 12 to 12.5

Billybeau1
06/21/2009, 10:43 AM
That looks about right.

Maybe next time try 3/4 Oceanic and 1/4 IO. The extra calcium wont hurt a thing and you will get the added benefit of more magnesium (which you could use). And a little less alkalinity :)

bigfalcon36
06/21/2009, 11:09 AM
Do you think that I should do it sooner than later? How much water do you think that I change the next time?

Thanks again.

Billybeau1
06/21/2009, 11:52 AM
I'm still saying I do not think the alk is your problem so I would say next time you do a water change and stick with your 25% or so.

How is your water flow ?

bigfalcon36
06/21/2009, 12:42 PM
I have the two tunze 6100s plusing from 30%-90%. They're aimed upward at about a 60 degree angle, so there is no direct flow hitting corals.

firsttank
06/21/2009, 01:47 PM
I think you should look at your alk swing rather than just the static alk point...

Check your alk at 4 hr intervals and see what the graph looks like...I lost some of my sps due to alk swing...as you described it sounds like RTN

tmz
06/21/2009, 02:18 PM
Could it be some form of toxicity(copper .zinc)? You may wan't totry some polypad or cuprisorb. Check your tds on your ro/di?Have you been using that mix of salt for a while?

bigfalcon36
06/21/2009, 03:20 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15233034#post15233034 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tmz
Could it be some form of toxicity(copper .zinc)? You may wan't totry some polypad or cuprisorb. Check your tds on your ro/di?Have you been using that mix of salt for a while?

TDS is at 0-1, as described above. I just started using this sale mix when I sat up the new tank. It has been running for 3.5-4 months now.

I have no idea if it could be toxicity or not?

Billybeau1
06/21/2009, 03:29 PM
How do your measure specific gravity ? (I'm just trying to cover all of the bases. ) :)

bigfalcon36
06/21/2009, 03:44 PM
refractometer from Premium Aquatics

Billybeau1
06/21/2009, 04:22 PM
How do you calibrate it ?

bigfalcon36
06/21/2009, 04:48 PM
I have the calibration fluid that came with it. Then I usually check the RODI water after I calibrated it and it's at 0